This time it reached a proper conclusion and Konta, ranked 97 places above her opponent, made her quality tell despite some tough moments.

Watson won the first two games of the match and put together three in a row at the death as Konta threatened to wobble but there were too many mistakes of her own littered through the 94-minute match-up.

Watson double-faulted on nine occasions and at times grew visibly frustrated at her lack of control. In all she was broken on five occasions, edged out of the first set then faced with a foremidable 5-1 scoreline in the second.